


Loss

by Akira_of_the_Twilight



Category: Captain America (Movies), Iron Man (Movies), Marvel (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Aunt Peggy Carter, Established Relationship, Grief/Mourning, M/M, OT4, Past Relationship- Steve Rogers/Peggy Carter, Peggy Carter Dies, Tony-centric
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-03
Updated: 2016-02-03
Packaged: 2018-05-18 01:37:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,033
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5893072
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Akira_of_the_Twilight/pseuds/Akira_of_the_Twilight
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Peggy Carter died, Tony didn’t say anything about her being an aunt to him. He didn’t talk about how she used to go the park with Jarvis and him, or how when he was really young and shorter than all the kids in his class she would tell him stories about how Steve used to really small and easily fell ill, but how Steve never let that stop him. She’d encouraged Tony and had even taught him the proper way to punch.</p><p>He’d loved her, but Steve had been in love with her, so when she died he didn’t say anything. He just stood by Steve’s side and comforted Steve.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Loss

**Author's Note:**

> Answer to this prompt: Tony's sister or relative dies and he needs comfort, lots of angst and fluff

When Peggy Carter died, Tony didn’t say anything about her being an aunt to him. He didn’t talk about how she used to go the park with Jarvis and him, or how when he was really young and shorter than all the kids in his class she would tell him stories about how Steve used to really small and easily fell ill, but how Steve never let that stop him. She’d encouraged Tony and had even taught him the proper way to punch.

He’d loved her, but Steve had been _in love_ with her, so when she died he didn’t say anything. He just stood by Steve’s side and comforted Steve. He found himself mimicking Bucky and Clint’s words and actions, unable to craft any of his own without revealing himself.

It felt as if he were carrying the Arc Reactor in his chest again—his insides hollow except for the ever-present ache. There were days when he felt his lips trembling to form words, to express what he really felt for Peggy, but he couldn’t. It wouldn’t be right.

Clint and Bucky were damn perceptive though.

“C’mon,” Clint would press. “I can tell something is wrong. Just tell me.”

Tony smiled. “Don’t worry about it. Focus on Steve. He skipped his morning run today. We should do something special to make him feel better.”

“How about we do something make _you_ feel better?” Bucky pushed.

Tony rolled his eyes. “I’m just depressed because Steve is. If you want to cheer me up then you have cheer up Steve first.”

Clint and Bucky would always keep pushing after the fact, but they never were able to get Tony to open up.

It wasn’t until two weeks after Peggy’s death when a package addressed to Tony arrived that everything fell apart.

Tony hadn’t thought anything about it as he opened the box in front of his boyfriends in the penthouse living room. He’d just seen his name, had FRIDAY scan the box to be sure there wasn’t a bomb inside, and then he’d opened it.

His heart fell out of his chest and it felt like someone had taken a metal sponge to his vocal chords.

Nestled in the box was a colorful afghan that had belonged to Peggy. The same afghan that Tony used to love wrapping himself in when he was a kid.

Two arms wrapped around Tony from behind—one flesh and one metal. Bucky squeezed Tony tight. “What’s wrong?”

Tony swallowed the lump in his throat and forced a smile on his face. He plucked the afghan out of the box and held it up for Bucky to see. “Looks like something came for Steve.” Tony squirmed out of Bucky’s hold and headed over to the couch where Steve was resting with his head in Clint’s lap.

Steve sat up. Black blotches of exhaustion circled his eyes; he looked haggard. He held out his hands and accepted the afghan, but frowned the whole while. “What is this?”

The question was a punch to Tony’s heart, but he kept smiling. “It belonged to Peggy. She must have wanted to you to have it.”

Tears welled up in Steve’s eyes as he stared at the blanket.

Meanwhile, Bucky had picked up the box the afghan had been delivered in and was showing it to Clint.

Clint went stone-faced as he read the name on the address.

Tony’s heart fluttered in panic as he realized what Clint and Bucky must be thinking.

“I’m sorry,” Tony said to Steve and began backing away. “…I’ll just—”

“I don’t understand,” Steve said. “Peggy thought I was dead. By the time I came back she wouldn’t have been able to enter me into her will.”

“Maybe she had a moment of mental clarity and called a few lawyers,” Tony said as he backpedaled.

“Or maybe Tony is a liar,” Bucky thrust the box under Steve’s face so the address label showed. “Peggy gave that ugly thing to Tony, which means Tony and Peggy knew each other and instead of telling us, he’s been keeping it a secret and bottling up his feelings.”

Steve looked like someone had just killed Peggy again, and what little remains of Tony’s broken heart were shattered until they were just specks of dust on the ground.

“You knew her?” Steve asked.

Tony swallowed hard. “She was…she was like an aunt to me.”

“But I never saw you when I went to visit her?” Confusion dominated Steve’s voice.

Tony cringed. “I used to, but I didn’t want risk interfering with you two, and it wasn’t like she remembered me anyway. She just thought I was Howard.”

“Tony,” Clint said, his voice sorrowful reprimand, an alien sound from Clint who was usually so much more vibrant.

Tony shook his head. “Sorry, I’ll just go.” He’d ruined everything.

Tony didn’t make to the elevator before Steve’s arms were around him and holding him in place. “I want you to stay.”

“You don’t have to ask me to stay,” Tony protested. “I wasn’t supposed to say any of that. She was your girlfriend and you loved her, and I shouldn’t have—”

Steve squeezed Tony tighter, resting his chin on Tony’s shoulder. “And she was your aunt. It’s not a competition. Just…please stay; it actually easier for me knowing that I’m not alone.”

Bucky scoffed and folded his arms across his chest. “And what are me and Clint? Chopped liver?”

Tony and Steve chuckled at Bucky’s indignation, but their laughter was weak and brittle.

Bucky and Clint were there, but it was different for them, especially Clint who had never met Peggy. Bucky at least had gotten a chance to get to know Peggy, but he had admittedly that he’d never felt particularly close to her. It was different for Steve and Tony. They had let Peggy into their lives and very deeply so. They pain they felt ran just as deep.

Tony touched the hands around his waist and leaned into Steve, finally accepting the comfort he’d been needing for the last two weeks. He closed his eyes and breathed deep, letting the sorrow wash over him fully. “Yeah,” he croaked out. “I’ll stay.”


End file.
